Thunder No. 15 in ESPN’s Post-Offseason Power Rankings
The Thunder exceeded expectations by winning more than 15 games than their preseason projections. Oklahoma City was one of the biggest surprises in the NBA a season ago, and the end of the rebuild was clearly visible.
The team rallied around Shai GIlgeous-Alexander’s MVP-level campaign and enjoyed breakout performers all over the floor. Josh Giddey to a big next step and Jalen Williams played well enough to be named the Rookie of the Year Runner-Up. Head coach Mark Daigneault received recognition as one of the NBA’s best minds, too, finishing in second in the NBA’s Coach of the Year voting.
Now, after a 40-win season and a victory in the play-in, Oklahoma City is officially on the NBA radar. The expectations are a bit higher this time around, and the team is much closer to competing than tanking. ESPN’s post-offseason power rankings directly reflect the respect the team is receiving.
The rankings have Oklahoma City slotted at No. 15, which is good for ninth in the Western Conference. That would put the Thunder in nearly the same spot as the team’s 2022-23 finish.
“Once again, the Thunder have used their cap space to pick up extra players and second-round picks as a dumping ground of sorts, but there will be two big additions on the court for them next year,” ESPN added.
“First, Chet Holmgren will be available after missing all of last season with a foot injury. The Thunder also added former two-time EuroLeague MVP Vasilije Micic on a three-year deal. Micic averaged 16.5 points and 4.6 assists per game with the Turkish club Anadolu Efes last season.”
As a whole, the Thunder struggled without size and a true defensive anchor in the front court. If Summer League is any indication, Oklahoma City will have both of those problems taken care of by Holmgren, the team’s No. 2 overall pick in 2022. The big man averaged 16.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and most impressive, 3.5 blocks per game.
The rim protection will be a big time help in the Thunder’s defensive mindset as a team. They were near the top of the NBA in all hustle stat categories and managed a top-15 defense without a true center on the roster. Adding Holmgren adds an entirely new dynamic to the hustle defense the team displays.
If Gilgeous-Alexander can replicate his 2022-23 season, there’s no reason to expect the Thunder to win less than 40 games. No. 15 in the NBA seems reasonable for one of the youngest teams in the league looking to build off of an overachieving season a year ago.
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